Which audio interface

brucegill

Google’s your friend. 

From Kemper site

ANALOG OUTPUTS PROFILER HEAD, POWERHEAD, RACK, AND POWERRACK

MAIN OUTPUT L and R:
XLR balanced, ¼ inch TS unbalanced with ground lift max. output level: XLR +22 dBu, TS +16 dBu
MONITOR OUTPUT:
¼ inch TS unbalanced with ground lift max. output level: +16 dBu

Lestratcaster

Ok so a 1/4 unbalanced to XLR jack then

brucegill

From your Kemper direct to monitors - if you want to go balanced - XLR to 1/4” TRS Balanced cables via main output

if you don’t want balanced - TS to TS 1/4” via monitor output

depends how you eventually set all this up

Lestratcaster

There will be times when I will wanna go straight to monitors - mainly if I'm not using any audio to play along to.

There will be other times where I will want to use Spotify/YouTube to jam along to. So looks like I will need one set of each balanced/unbalanced.

brucegill

Just read through this post. To be honest, just get a cheap two channel and go with it for a while so you can work out what is and what isn’t important to you. Your trying to cover so much ground and might just waste money at the moment. If you don’t know if you need balanced yet, don’t stress, Just go with two guitar cables from the outs of Kemper to the ins of an interface. 

I’ve just gone from a scarlet 2i2 mk2 (in the sales section ) to a Claret 4pre. I’ve used the scarlet for 2 years and it’s been a great intro and not let me down. I only got the claret as I use synths as well and didn’t want a bloody great mixer at the moment. One day I’ll go for a patchbay etc but right now, this suits my needs.

There will always be a bigger, better sounding option. Always. 

Lestratcaster

I was originally going to get a 2i2 but I need an extra XLR input for the mic for use during Zoom lessons, hence the need for something bigger. So I either run my Kemper via SPDIF or through more xlr preamp ports in the front.

brucegill

Do you need the Kemper in stereo for a zoom lesson? 

Lestratcaster

Would be nice yeah but I guess kinda not essential. The SPDIF connection is important though. The lowest Focusrite that has one is a 6i6 which are slowly being removed from retailers.

demonoid_gnome

I`m maybe missing something about what you`re wanting to do here. With my 6i6, it`s SPDIF out of the Kemper, into the 6i6 and out of there to the monitors. With the monitor volume knob on the front of the 6i6, you can change the volume of the Kemper, and you hear that through the monitors independent of a DAW. If you wanted to have an additional analogue input into the front of the interface, at the same time, then there`s an input level for that, and you can control it through the Focusrite mixer control as well if need be. The 2nd gen 6i6 and 3rd gen 8i6 are the lowest spec. units from Focusrite that have SPDIF inputs though.

Lestratcaster

demonoid_gnome said:

I`m maybe missing something about what you`re wanting to do here. With my 6i6, it`s SPDIF out of the Kemper, into the 6i6 and out of there to the monitors. With the monitor volume knob on the front of the 6i6, you can change the volume of the Kemper, and you hear that through the monitors independent of a DAW. If you wanted to have an additional analogue input into the front of the interface, at the same time, then there`s an input level for that, and you can control it through the Focusrite mixer control as well if need be. The 2nd gen 6i6 and 3rd gen 8i6 are the lowest spec. units from Focusrite that have SPDIF inputs though.

Yeah this is what my friend does with his 6i6 and exactly what I wanna be doing. I’m gonna get an 8i6 3rd gen cos they may update something in the the 2nd gen may not match.

Also if I’m running Spotify and everything is run via the interface how do I balance the levels? The monitor volume knob on the Focusrite can’t control both Kemper and Spotify can it?

PolarityMan

Lestratcaster said:

Would be nice yeah but I guess kinda not essential. The SPDIF connection is important though. The lowest Focusrite that has one is a 6i6 which are slowly being removed from retailers.

I think the thought is that you could go for a 2 input sound card and run an analog output of your kemper into one channel and your mic into the other. 

PolarityMan

Id prob still go bigger though.

Jalapeno

Go mainstream with Focusrite or Presonus I/F is my only advice - USB connected too.

Lestratcaster

I went for the 8i6 in the end. 2 x stereo balanced cables and a SDIF coaxial. Just hope it all hooks up and I can get it working without much faff!

stratology

Lestratcaster said:

I went for the 8i6 in the end. 2 x stereo balanced cables and a SDIF coaxial. Just hope it all hooks up and I can get it working without much faff!

When you register your Focusrite interface on their website, you get access to some free software, like the fantastic Brainworx Focusrite channel strip plug-in.

duotone

Lestratcaster said:

I went for the 8i6 in the end. 2 x stereo balanced cables and a SDIF coaxial. Just hope it all hooks up and I can get it working without much faff!

Nice one, glad you got it sorted. 

Siejen

Good choice. Have fun 

Jalapeno

Lestratcaster said:

I went for the 8i6 in the end. 2 x stereo balanced cables and a SDIF coaxial. Just hope it all hooks up and I can get it working without much faff!

Should be plug-in & go.  Good choice

Lestratcaster

Got the interface about an hour ago, set it up with my laptop, Spotify and general playback is working and a whole lot better than the crappy 3.5mm RCA headphone connection.

But....Kemper via SPDIF into the Focusrite isn't giving me any sound. Have changed sample rate to 44.1khz and clock source is SPDIF. Still no sound? In Focusrite Control SPDIF outputs are 1-2 and I can see the green level bar moving when I play, just no sound out the monitors.

PolarityMan

Probably they are not enabled for monitoring, I only setup the new control software once but in the output section i think you ened to add the SPDIF tracks to the line of monitoring sources at the top

Im on my work laptop now but ill double check tonight if you still havent figured it out.